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Western Wetland Flora

Field Office Guide to Plant Species

Creeping Butter-cup
Ranunculus repens L.

JPG -- Species Photo JPG -- Distribution Map

Family: Butter-cup (Ranunculaceae)
Flowering: May-August
Field Marks: This large-flowered yellow butter-cup is readily distinguished by its slender stolons that root at the nodes.
Habitat: Moist, disturbed soil.
Habit: Perennial herb with slender stolons and with thread-like roots.
Stems: Ascending, branched, up to 2 feet tall, hairy.
Leaves: Alternate, ternately compound, the leaflets both lobed and toothed, up to 2 inches long, usually hairy.
Flowers: 1-few on ascending stems, each flower up to 1 1/4 inches across.
Sepals: 5, green, free from each other, up to 1/3 inch long.
Petals: 5, yellow, free from each other, about 1/2 inch long or a little longer.
Stamens: Many.
Pistils: Many in each flower, each with a superior ovary.
Fruits: Achenes up to 25 in a head, each achene obovoid, 1/8-1/6 inch long, with a hooked beak at the tip.
Notes: This butter-cup is native to Europe and Asia. It is sometimes planted in gardens because of its showy flowers. The achenes may be eaten by birds.

Previous Species -- Straight-beak Butter-cup (Ranunculus orthorhynchus)
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Next Species -- Pond Butter-cup (Ranunculus subrigidus)

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Page Last Modified: Thursday, 03-Aug-2006 11:39:25 EDT
Menlo Park, CA [caww54]